Invisible scoop stringers employing abrasive preventing means



Feb. 26, 1963 L. H. MORlN 3,07

INVISIBLE SCOOP STRINGERS EMPLOYING ABRASIVE PREVENTING MEANS Filed July14, 1960 -I 1/12 /7 msgxam INVENTOR.

LOU/5 H MaRl/v /5 J' 9 2 Km 5 FITTORA/EY United States Patent 3,078,537INVISIBLE SfJOOP STRINGERS EMPLOYING ABRASIV E PREVENTING MEANS Louis H.Morin, Bronx, NY. (125 Beechwood Ave., New Rochelle, NY.) Filed July 14,1960, Ser. No. 42,828 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-2051) This invention relates toseparable fastener stringers, wherein scoops are applied to reverselyfolded edge portions of the stringer tapes in producing what aregenerally referred to as invisible scoop stringers; in other Words, thescoops are concealed on the inner surface of the stringer tapes when thestringers are coupled together.

More particularly, the invention deals with scoop structures forstringers of the character described, wherein the scoops includelaterally extending shelves or flanges registering with recessed sideportions of the coupling ends of the scoops to provide means on eachscoop in registration with the coupling heads of scoops of the opposedstringer to protect the stringer tapes against abrasion in the use ofthe stringers.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing description, when taken together with the accompanyingdrawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosedand, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable referencecharacters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged inside plan view diagrammatically showing twoscoops of one stringer, with a single scoop of the opposed stringercoupled therewith.

FIG. 2 is a section substantially on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a section substantially on the line 3-3 of With separablefasteners of the character defined, it has been experienced that thecoupling heads of scoops of the stringers, where they operate inrecessed portions of scoops of companion stringers and over the stringertape disposed between recessed portions of adjacent scoops, have beensubjected to abrasive wear in use of the separable fasteners, resultingin minimizing the life use of the fasteners. It is the purpose of myinvention to so construct stringer tapes as to provide, in said areas ofthe stringer tapes between recessed portions of adjacent scoops on eachstringer, means, such, for example, as shelves or flanges which arearranged beneath the heads of the coupling end portions of scoops ofcompanion stringers when the stringers are coupled together to pro tectthe stringer tapes at these sections against abrasive wear, therebymaterially lengthening the life use of fasteners of the type and kindunder consideration.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, I have shown inthe accompanying drawing at 10, the two stringer tapes of a separablefastener and, in FIG. 1, I have shown a single scoop 11 on the tape 10and a pair of scoops 11' on the tape .10, the latter scoops beingcoupled with the scoop 11.

Each stringer tape 10, 10' has a reversely folded beaded edge portion12, 12', upon which the scoops 11, 11' are attached or formed. It willappear, from a consideration of FIG. 2 of the drawing, that the tapesare folded around short outer side portions 13, 13 of the scoops sothat, when the scoops are coupled together, the folded portions of thetapes abut at the bends, as indicated at 14 in FIG. 2 of the drawing.The other or inner side portions of the scoops have projecting couplingheads 15, 15, generally triangular in contour. Inwardly of the heads 15,15', the coupling end portion of each scoop includes side recessedportions 16, 16' which are adapted to receive the heads of companionstringers when coupled together, as illustrated diagrammatically in FIG.1 of the drawing.

3,078,537 Patented Feb. 26, 1963 The coupling end portions of each ofthe scoops include, in alinement with the recesses '16, 16', laterallyprojecting integral shelves or flanges 17,17 which project beyond sideedge portions of the scoops, as will clearly appear from a considerationof FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawing. 'For purposes of description, that partof the stringer tapes between recessed portions of adjacent scoops oneach stringer can be defined as tape areas 18, as noted in the areabetween the two scoops 11' in FIG. 1 of the drawing. The shelves orflanges of adjacent scoops 11' extend onto this area 18 a sufficientdegree so that the head 15 is arranged above and is adapted tooperatively engage said shelves or flanges 17' in the operation ofcoupling and uncoupling the stringers and, particularly, when thestringers are flexed transversely or are mounted in connection witharticles wherein the fastener extends around corners.

Considering FIG. 2 of the drawing, where the head 15 is shown arrangedabove one of the shelves 17, normally the surface 19 of the head 15' isspaced from the adjacent surface of the shelf or flange 17, so that nopcmitive engagement is established with the flange in conventional usesof the fastener and when the stringers are in common alinement. Thisspacing of the surface, as at 19 in FIG. 2, is common on the head 15 ofthe scoop 11 or, in other words, on all of the scoops of the twostringers.

It will also appear, from a consideration of FIG. 2 of the drawing, thatthe surface 20 of each of the shelves or flanges is set inwardly withrespect to abutment of the tapes as at 14, so that the surface 20 of theshelves or flanges of the scoops of one stringer will not abut withcorresponding surfaces of the shelves or flanges of the companionstringer. This spacing is also indicated in FIG. 1 of the drawing. Thesurfaces 20 set outwardly with respect to surfaces of the short sides13, 13, around which the stringer tapes 1t 10' are folded.

Considering FIG. 1 of the drawing, it will appear that the shelves orflanges 17, 17 extend across the major portion of the spreading area ofthe recesses 16, 16', so as to be disposed under the major portion ofeach of the coupling heads 15, 15', thus insuring positive protection tothe tapes in the areas as at 18 noted in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing, the scoops 11, 11 have been illustrated asplastic scoops cast directly upon the beaded edge portions of thestringer tapes. It will be understood, however, that my invention is notlimited to any particular type or kind of material employed in theformation of the scoop structure and the shelves or other meanspositioned on the areas 18 can be formed in any desired manner inproviding the desired protection to the stringer tapes in preventingabrasive action, as heretofore pointed out.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

I. In a slide fastener, the combination comprising two stringer tapes,each tape having along a margin thereof a reverse bend defining a mainbody portion extending to said bend and a reversely folded edge portionextending away from said bend, and a plurality of scoops attached toeach of said tapes in spaced relationship along said margin, each ofsaid scoops being substantially U-shaped with a short leg and a longerleg terminating in a coupling head, the main body portion, the bend andthe reversely folded edge portion of each tape being wrapped around theshorter legs of the scoops attached to the tape with the reverselyfolded edge portion of the tape clamped between the two legs of eachscoop attached to the tape and with the coupling heads of the scoopsattached to the tape projecting outwardly beyond the bend of the lattertape, whereby when the scoops on the two tapes are coupled together inintermeshing relationship, the bends in the ice tapes come closetogether substantially in abutting relationship and the coupling headson the scoops attached to each tape overlie the reversely folded edgeportion of the other tape between the scoops attached to the other tape,each of the coupling heads of the scoops attached to one tape beingspaced from the reversely folded edge portion of the other tape in thearea where the coupling head overlies the latter reversely folded edgeportion when the scoops attached to the two tapes are coupled together,each scoop having flangemeans extending laterally therefrom over thereversely folded edge portion of the tape to which the scoop is attachedand lying between the latter reversely folded edge portion and theadjacent coupling head of the scoop attached to the other tape when thescoops attached to the two tapes are coupled together, said flange meansconstituting means for blocking engagement of the coupling heads of thescoops attached to one tape with the reversely folded edge portion ofthe other tape when the scoops on the tapes are coupled together,whereby the areas of the reversely folded edge portion of each tapebetween the scoops attached to the other tape are protected againstabrasive action from the scoops attached to the other tape in theprocess of coupling the scoops and While the scoops are coupled, thecoupling heads on the scoops attached to one tape and overlying theflange means of the scoops on the other tape when the scoops on the twotapes are coupled together being spaced from the latter flange means.

2. In a slide fastener, the combination as described in claim 1, whereinsaid flange means comprises a pair of flanges extending from oppositesides of each scoop laterally outwardly over the reversely folded edgeportion of the tape to which the scoop is attached and seated on thelatter reversely folded edge portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,392,934 Marinsky Jan. 15, 1946 2,526,600 Bolton Oct. 17, 19502,563,767 Winterhalter Aug. 7, 1951 2,959,833 Ryser Nov. 15, 1960FOREIGN PATENTS 201,777 Australia May 10, 1955

1. IN A SLIDE FASTENER, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING TWO STRINGER TAPES,EACH TAPE HAVING ALONG A MARGIN THEREOF A REVERSE BEND DEFINING A MAINBODY PORTION EXTENDING TO SAID BEND AND A REVERSELY FOLDED EDGE PORTIONEXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID BEND, AND A PLURALITY OF SCOOPS ATTACHED TOEACH OF SAID TAPES IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP ALONG SAID MARGIN, EACH OFSAID SCOOPS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED WITH A SHORT LEG AND A LONGERLEG TERMINATING IN A COUPLING HEAD, THE MAIN BODY PORTION, THE BEND ANDTHE REVERSELY FOLDED EDGE PORTION OF EACH TAPE BEING WRAPPED AROUND THESHORTER LEGS OF THE SCOOPS ATTACHED TO THE TAPE WITH THE REVERSELYFOLDED EDGE PORTION OF THE TAPE CLAMPED BETWEEN THE TWO LEGS OF EACHSCOOP ATTACHED TO THE TAPE AND WITH THE COUPLING HEADS OF THE SCOOPSATTACHED TO THE TAPE PROJECTING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE BEND OF THE LATTERTAPE, WHEREBY WHEN THE SCOOPS ON THE TWO TAPES ARE COUPLED TOGETHER ININTERMESHING RELATIONSHIP, THE BENDS IN THE TAPES COME CLOSE TOGETHERSUBSTANTIALLY IN ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP AND THE COUPLING HEADS ON THESCOOPS ATTACHED TO EACH TAPE OVERLIE THE REVERSELY FOLDED EDGE PORTIONOF THE OTHER TAPE BETWEEN THE SCOOPS ATTACHED TO THE OTHER TAPE, EACH OFTHE COUPLING HEADS OF THE SCOOPS ATTACHED TO ONE TAPE BEING SPACED FROMTHE REVERSELY FOLDED EDGE PORTION OF THE OTHER TAPE IN THE AREA WHERETHE COUPLING HEAD OVERLIES THE LATTER REVERSELY FOLDED EDGE PORTION WHENTHE SCOOPS ATTACHED TO THE TWO TAPES ARE COUPLED TOGETHER, EACH SCOOPHAVING FLANGE MEANS EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREFROM OVER THE REVERSELYFOLDED EDGE PORTION OF THE TAPE TO WHICH THE SCOOP IS ATTACHED AND LYINGBETWEEN THE LATTER REVERSELY FOLDED EDGE PORTION AND THE ADJACENTCOUPLING HEAD OF THE SCOOP ATTACHED TO THE OTHER TAPE WHEN THE SCOOPSATTACHED TO THE TWO TAPES ARE COUPLED TOGETHER, SAID FLANGE MEANSCONSTITUTING MEANS FOR BLOCKING ENGAGEMENT OF THE COUPLING HEADS OF THESCOOPS ATTACHED TO ONE TAPE WITH THE REVERSELY FOLDED EDGE PORTION OFTHE OTHER TAPE WHEN THE SCOOPS ON THE TAPES ARE COUPLED TOGETHER,WHEREBY THE AREAS OF THE REVERSELY FOLDED EDGE PORTION OF EACH TAPEBETWEEN THE SCOOPS ATTACHED TO THE OTHER TAPE ARE PROTECTED AGAINSTABRASIVE ACTION FROM THE SCOOPS ATTACHED TO THE OTHER TAPE IN THEPROCESS OF COUPLING THE SCOOPS AND WHILE THE SCOOPS ARE COUPLED, THECOUPLING HEADS ON THE SCOOPS ATTACHED TO ONE TAPE AND OVERLYING THEFLANGE MEANS OF THE SCOOPS ON THE OTHER TAPE WHEN THE SCOOPS ON THE TWOTAPES ARE COUPLED TOGETHER BEING SPACED FROM THE LATTER FLANGE MEANS.